The 27-year-old only joined Boro 12 months ago as he made a £3 million move from Oxford United, but he has since struggled to nail down a regular starting berth at the Riverside Stadium.

Current manager Tony Pulis largely opted for Adama Traore and Stewart Downing on the wings since taking over the club from Garry Monk, with the duo starting both of the Championship playoff semi-final games.

Johnson made just six league starts all season with a further 11 appearances coming off the bench, and with Pulis expected to bolster his wide options this summer, the former Oxford man could find himself completely out of the first-team picture and surplus to requirements.

The report names both Hull and Ipswich as suitors for the player, though it doesn’t specify whether the duo are looking at the player on a permanent transfer or potentially on a season-long loan.

Boro will probably want to recoup at least some of the fee they paid for him 12 months ago, but Hull and Ipswich are seemingly running a tight ship financially and may see a loan deal as more beneficial in the short-term.

The Tigers will need to bolster their squad somewhat significantly this summer after narrowly avoiding relegation to League One last term, while certain key players could leave on a free shortly with their contracts expiring.

Ipswich, on the other hand, were safely in midtable last season but newly-appointed boss Paul Hurst will look to transform the club since taking over from Mick McCarthy and out wide is certainly an area for improvement.

Tom Thorogood

I'm a 27 year old language teacher and writer based out in Mexico with a passion for football and swimming. I like to focus on the top European Leagues, especially La Liga, as well as the footballing development in Central and South America. My favourite teams include Derby County, Barcelona and Jagaures de Chiapas.